Many video systems have visual displays that can be natively divided into different regions of a display screen. For example, consider the FIG. 1 display device and its illustrated display screen 10. There, a visual display on the screen is divided into four different regions 12, 14, 16, and 18. Each region can contain an image that is different from, or similar to images contained in other regions. For example, the image in region 12 might be a rolling hill landscape, the image in region 14 might be a beach scene, the image in region 16 might be that of a city, and the image in region 18 might be that of a desert. In some user scenarios, it might be advantageous or desirable to isolate the image in one of the particular regions, and provide that isolated image onto a different display screen. For example, one user may be interested in the image of the rolling hill landscape that appears in region 12, and would like to view that image in isolation on another display screen that is connected to the video system. If the video system is specifically designed to provide this type of isolated viewing, then providing an isolated image on another display screen should not be a problem. More often, though, video systems are not specifically designed to support this type of functionality. That is, those types of video systems are configured to provide a single video signal that is to be rendered on a single display screen.
Now consider a gaming environment and, in particular, a multi-player gaming environment. Here, a video system in the form of a gaming platform is provided and enables multiple players to engage in a single video game. For example, FIG. 2 shows a video system 20 that includes a game console 22 and a display device having a display screen 24. Player input devices 26, 28 are provided and are connected to console 22. In this example, the input devices include individual steering wheels and a shifter knob. Assume in this example that the game the players are engaged in is a car racing game in which a first region 30 of the display screen is dedicated to the first player, and a second region 32 of the display screen is dedicated to the second player. In this scenario, the first player receives his or her visual input from region 30, and the second player receives his or her visual input from region 32. So, for example, as the players play the game, each player may see the terrain pass on their region of the display screen as they drive their respective vehicles throughout the game's course.
In some instances, it would be desirable to provide each player's associated display region onto their own display device's display screen. For example, perhaps the players have two different display devices each with its own display screen, and desire to play their game against one another while not sitting beside one another. Additionally, it may not be imperative to the play of the game that the players are seated side-by-side. However, in most if not all so-called legacy game environments, the players do not have this flexibility and, as a result, are forced to sit side-by-side to play their game. That is, many legacy game environments do not contemplate, nor do they support a functionality that allows individual, player-associated regions of the display screen to be split off onto separate display device screens. Yet, it would be desirable to provide such functionality.